RALEIGH - Earlier this week the United States Sentencing
Commission decided that recent changes made in the federal
sentencing guidelines, which shortened sentences for those
convicted of crimes involving crack cocaine, would be made
retroactive. Across the United States this means that more than
20,000 convicted crack cocaine offenders may seek a reduction in
their sentence. Here in the Eastern District of North Carolina
nearly 500 convicted crack cocaine dealers may see their sentences
reduced. Hundreds of dangerous prisoners, many of them involved in
gang activity, could be eligible for release. “My office will be
working hard to protect the public as we work through this
process,” stated George E. B. Holding, United States Attorney.

He further stated, “Over the last six months members of the
United States Department of Justice including myself and members of
my office have been working to persuade the Sentencing Commission
and Congress not to make these changes in criminal sentencing laws.
Crack cocaine remains a plague which affects some of our most
vulnerable neighborhoods and citizens. Despite these changes in the law, my office remains committed to the aggressive
investigation and prosecution of those involved in crack cocaine
crimes. We refuse to surrender those vulnerable neighborhoods and
citizens to drug dealers and gang members, so our aggressive
prosecutions will continue.”

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.

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